Tennessee starting safety Jaylen McCollough was arrested Sunday on a charge of aggravated felony assault, according to a an arrest warrant obtained by the Knoxville News Sentinel.
McCollough, who is a four-year starter for the Volunteers, has not been suspended by the program. A UT spokesperson told the News Sentinel that the university is still gathering information about the incident and that coach Josh Heupel will address the media as usual Monday afternoon.
According to the warrant, police responded to a call at 3:30 p.m. Sunday and found a man with a “bloody, swollen mouth and missing teeth.” The victim said that he had been drinking with friends at an apartment complex and went out to his car. When he returned, he accidentally walked into the wrong apartment. When he realized he was in the wrong place, he apologized and left.
McCollough pursued the man and became aggressive, according to the warrant. The victim said he apologized again but told McCollough that “he didn’t have to be a [expletive] about it.” McCollough then allegedly punched the victim in the face, causing him to fall down stairs and lose consciousness.
Police said they found blood on the stairs and spoke to a woman who said she was McCollough’s girlfriend. She called McCollough back to the scene, and he was taken into custody without incident after refusing to answer questions from police.
